title: Myo-inositol metabolism in appropriately grown and growth-restricted fetuses: a proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Myo-inositol (Myo-ins) is a marker of neuroglial cells, being present in the astrocytes of brain tissue, but also functions as an osmolyte. Numbers of astrocytes are known to increase following injury to the brain. Growth-restricted fetuses are at increased risk of later neurodevelopmental impairments even in the absence of overt lesions and despite preserved/increased cerebral blood flow. This study aims to investigate brain Myo-ins metabolism in fetuses with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and evidence of cerebral redistribution using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) at a short echo time.
  
  
  METHODS
  Biometry and Doppler assessment of blood flow was assessed using ultrasound in 28 fetuses with IUGR and 47 appropriately grown control subjects. MRI was used to exclude overt brain injury. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the fetal brain was then performed at an echo time of 42 ms to examine the Myo-ins:Choline (Cho), Myo-ins:Creatine (Cr) and Cho:Cr ratios.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No alterations in brain Myo-ins:Cho, Myo-ins:Cr or Cho:Cr ratios were detected between appropriately grown and growth restricted fetuses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IUGR is not associated with a measureable difference in brain myo-inositol ratios. This may be due to the protective effects of preserved cerebral blood flow in growth restriction and comparable astrocyte numbers when compared to controls.
authors.affiliation: Imperial College London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: lisa.story@doctors.org.uk.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Story
authors.forename: Mellisa S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Damodaram
authors.forename: Veena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Supramaniam
authors.forename: Joanna M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Allsop
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mcguinness
authors.forename: Abhilasha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Marzena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wylezinska
authors.forename: Sailesh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Mary A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rutherford
mesh_terms: D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000378:metabolism*; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000378:metabolism; D007294:Inositol / Q000378:metabolism*; D016014:Linear Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D007294:Inositol; D003401:Creatine
keywords: Brain; Fetal growth restriction; Magnetic resonance spectroscopy